My ski coach has given me quite a few memorable quotes, including one about "making lemonade from zest" when there is little or no snow during the start of the race season. Normally the Pacific NW has plenty of snow, but this pre-Thanksgiving weekend saw an extreme warming after a nice dump of powder. So, as any snow bunny is bound to do, I've been chasing snow and trying to avoid the fine line between gravel, ice, and snow that forms in the mountains.
Alpine ski areas rely on snow for business, and are quite apt at managing their snow. So when they close to conserve snow, its a perfect time to link up cat tracks between cabins, skate around terrain park features, and make a nice workout from just a few acres of snow. Intervals are perfect, as are uphill and downhill technique work, variable snow quality training, and slalom turns.
But sometimes an alpine area gets boring. At Stevens Pass, there was plenty of snow at 4,000 feet on November 25th, but dropping to 3000 feet where the nordic center is located yielded a gravel road with bits of snow and ice- not good for skiing or running. Closer to Leavenworth, the Icicle provided better running, with snow-free trails up until the start of thick forest. Poles in hand, scraping against bushes and slipping on trailside puddles turned to ice blocks.
Alpine ski areas rely on snow for business, and are quite apt at managing their snow. So when they close to conserve snow, its a perfect time to link up cat tracks between cabins, skate around terrain park features, and make a nice workout from just a few acres of snow. Intervals are perfect, as are uphill and downhill technique work, variable snow quality training, and slalom turns.
But sometimes an alpine area gets boring. At Stevens Pass, there was plenty of snow at 4,000 feet on November 25th, but dropping to 3000 feet where the nordic center is located yielded a gravel road with bits of snow and ice- not good for skiing or running. Closer to Leavenworth, the Icicle provided better running, with snow-free trails up until the start of thick forest. Poles in hand, scraping against bushes and slipping on trailside puddles turned to ice blocks.
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